Victims won't sue driver of wayward truck in Ilocos Norte

MANILA, Philippines - Victims of vehicular accident will not sue the driver of the truck that lost its brakes, plunging them into a ravine in Ilocos Norte on Thursday. The Isuzu Elf truck was traversing the Banna-Batac Road on Thursday afternoon when Christopher Guzman, the driver, lost control of the vehicle, killing three (not five as earlier reported) of its passengers riding at the back and wounding more than 40 others in the process. The victims were reportedly on their way back home from the traditional New Year Day's outing when tragedy happened. Guzman has been in the custody of the Philippine National Police since Thursday but will be freed very soon as none of the victims or relatives was pressing charges against him, QTV's "Balitanghali" quoted police as saying. "So ang gawin namin dito ay i-turnover na lang kay barangay chairman kasi kami naman ang ma-arbitrary dito kung hindi namin pakakawalan ‘yung driver [What we're going to do is turn him over to the barangay chairman because we'd be in trouble if we don't release him]," Police Officer 3 Alwyn Albano told GMA reporter Jun Veneracion. As of Saturday, only 32 of the victims remained in the hospital, including a three-month-old baby, the report said. Of those confined, two were in critical condition. The owner of the truck was also apparently helping the victims. b> - Kimberly Jane T. Tan, GMANews.TV